Little Pixie Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 (edited) Haha, a common thing then . I did that and read Book 13 first. Shame that the latest Outlander book is a letdown. Edited June 28, 2014 by Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Thanks Gaia and Kate. You know, it could`ve been a whole lot worse - all my family managed to survive stuff like the Camps and the Gulag. Sometimes it`s not just paranoia, people are really out to get you.* Sorry, sometimes a bit of black humour about it all - you`ve got to laugh or you`ll just cry. I'm sure you know the old saying.....Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they don't want to kill you. Laughing makes better lines. My father's father's family came over here almost 200 years ago from Germany. Five brothers. Their father sent them here to escape the Kaiser's wars. So we escaped all of that particular horror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 Laughing makes better lines. Lovely ! My father's father's family came over here almost 200 years ago from Germany. Five brothers. Their father sent them here to escape the Kaiser's wars. So we escaped all of that particular horror. Phew. Though I`ve just read Isabel Allende`s Zorro, part of which is set in New Orlean`s around 1815 ; it didn`t seem particularly safe where your family were either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Lovely ! Phew. Though I`ve just read Isabel Allende`s Zorro, part of which is set in New Orlean`s around 1815 ; it didn`t seem particularly safe where your family were either. LOL. At least it wasn't part of the Little Ice Age. I gave up on Zorro, how'd you like it? Should I try again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted June 28, 2014 Share Posted June 28, 2014 LOL. At least it wasn't part of the Little Ice Age. Hee. I gave up on Zorro, how'd you like it? Should I try again? I did like it more as it went on, though I find that true of her books generally. I`m not as familiar with the history of the Americas as a native would be, so I`m also reading from an educational viewpoint. Perhaps if you`re familiar, it`s not as interesting. I`d try it again, just so you can read the last 100 pages or so, where the `real` character of Zorro appears. I felt it has that subversive quality of an outsider seeing the vanity and silliness of someone who`s created his Comic-book-self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted June 28, 2014 Author Share Posted June 28, 2014 Ahhh, I thought I might have given up too soon. Although there was another Allende that I quit on.....can't remember which one. Muggle likes her writing too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 The Son by Jo Nesbo 5/5Blood Vendetta.Sonny Lofthus has been in prison for almost half of his life, he has been convicted of two murders. He is a heroin addict, and really doesn't care if he ever sees the light of freedom again. Until, that is, he learns the truth about his policeman father's suicide. Then all hell breaks loose. But is it the truth, and if so, whose truth is it? His magnificently implemented escape from prison enables him to track down the people he feels are responsible in one way or another for his father's death, and deal with them in a language they can understand.Many of the well drawn characters are not what they seem to be, and Sonny and the policeman that is attempting to track him play a game of tag, pirouetting between truth and fiction. But, again, whose truth? What is the truth and what is the lie? The navigation between is perilous to say the least and lead everyone, police, criminals and Sonny himself down the garden path. To what end? Will the truth come out, or not. I was unsure, until the end.This Nesbo offering is dark, yes. But it isn't quite as horrifically, terrifyingly dark as some of the later Harry Hole series. Thankfully. It is a well done, perhaps a bit of an old-fashioned mystery that has it's roots in the oldest of sins. Jealousy.Recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Great review! I have a few of Jo Nesbo's book on my TBR. The Son sounds very interesting too, I'm glad you liked it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Great review! I have a few of Jo Nesbo's book on my TBR. The Son sounds very interesting too, I'm glad you liked it . Ditto. I`ve got the first 8 or so of the Harry Hole books to read. Good to know that The Son`s a good read too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 Thanks, guys! I'm reading the July RC, The World Without Us right now, but have Nesbo's Headhunters sitting here waiting. Maybe it'll be next up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I've got Headhunters on my TBR, so wouldn't mind finding out what you think of it . I hope you enjoy The World Without Us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 It's interesting, if not gripping. Somehow it's different to what I expected, but.......oh well, I'll save it for the RC thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 5, 2014 Author Share Posted July 5, 2014 Just finished The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. Since it is the July Reading Circle choice for this month, and I'm feeling lazy, I'll just post a link to that discussion for anyone that wishes to know more. Suffice it to say it is a very thoroughly researched, well thought out book. It chronicles just what might be the fate of the Earth if humans were to disappear today, well, it's late, maybe tomorrow. Seriously, Weisman covers the historicity of the places he speaks of beautifully. Read the thread. It's worth it. http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12831-the-world-without-us-alan-weisman/#entry397824 Please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 Sounds like a very thoroughly written book . I can't say I've ever read anything about the subject. I've never gotten much into that type of thing . I suppose we should all be concerned with it to some degree ,but it's not ever been a topic I've given great thought to . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 I haven't much either, Julie. Actually the cover sold the book to me. I have the hardback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 That's a great cover! Mine looks like this: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 6, 2014 Author Share Posted July 6, 2014 That is a chilling cover, Gaia. Very effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 I agree, I like it a lot . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nursenblack Posted July 8, 2014 Share Posted July 8, 2014 The World Without Us sounds interesting. I watched a documentary just like that a few of years ago on Discovery or National Geographic channel and it was very good and pretty creepy. I don't know if it was based on this book or not though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 (edited) The World Without Us sounds interesting. I watched a documentary just like that a few of years ago on Discovery or National Geographic channel and it was very good and pretty creepy. I don't know if it was based on this book or not though. Oh, that sounds interesting. I wouldn't mind seeing a doc of that sort. 'Tis creepy when one thinks of it. Problem is, most don't think, or if they do, figure it'll be so far into the future it won't matter to them. I've noticed that a large percentage of people don't think in, or consider the "long run" of anything. Edited July 11, 2014 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Just finished The World Without Us by Alan Weisman. Since it is the July Reading Circle choice for this month, and I'm feeling lazy, I'll just post a link to that discussion for anyone that wishes to know more. Suffice it to say it is a very thoroughly researched, well thought out book. It chronicles just what might be the fate of the Earth if humans were to disappear today, well, it's late, maybe tomorrow. Seriously, Weisman covers the historicity of the places he speaks of beautifully. Read the thread. It's worth it. http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12831-the-world-without-us-alan-weisman/#entry397824 Please. Sounds interesting Kate. I just looked it up at Swindon library and they do have a copy but it's not due back until end of July All the same I have reserved it .. so hopefully I should be able to add my two pennorth at some point I bet it gives me nightmares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share Posted July 13, 2014 Sounds interesting Kate. I just looked it up at Swindon library and they do have a copy but it's not due back until end of July All the same I have reserved it .. so hopefully I should be able to add my two pennorth at some point I bet it gives me nightmares I'll be glad to hear what you think of it. No, no nightmares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 (edited) Since finishing The World Without Us, for the Reading Circle I've finished a few books. Dead Beat, A Harry Dresden Novel by Jim Butcher 3/5 Typical Harry Dresden, the only publically practicing Wizard of Chicago is in trouble on all fronts. Again. It's just a question of which entity get to kill him in a horrible manner first. Also as usual, the humor is ironic, and black as the deepest hole. Harry's a survivor though, and always manages to pull victory of a sort out of his hat. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Star Trek: Specter by William Shatner 3/5 This entry into the Star Trek universe has Kirk at odds, again, with the Dark Mirror Universe that the Enterprise encountered in the original series. The course the dark side has taken is brought out, and of course Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty team up to try to right old wrongs with the mirror Spock. This is the first of a trilogy that will encompass both universes and the unexpected and unprecedented course that Kirk's life has taken. Recommended for hard core Star Trek fans. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Laundry Man by Jake Needham 2.5/5 A phone call from a dead man starts Jake Shepherd on a treacherous course of death and deception that could lead to his own demise. Shepherd, a lawyer that doesn't practice any longer and teaches at a Bangkok University is drawn into an intrigue that he really isn't too interested in following up on. But when people start to die around him, leading him to believe he could easily be next he has to become more involved. I wish I could say this was riveting. It wasn't. It could have been, all the makings were there. But I found Shepherd's naivety to be highly unbelievable given the experience he was supposed to possess. The moves of his enemies were so telegraphed that I could see them a mile off. Strangely, he walked into every trap laid for him. Characters fates were not followed up on, holes in the plot were not plugged. Meh. Edited July 14, 2014 by pontalba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 I'm about a quarter of the way into QB VII by Leon Uris, still. I've also started The Unquiet Grave by Steven Dunne and am loving it! It was one of the books that our Michelle sent to me several months ago. It's a great police procedural. I'm only up to page 70, but it is well constructed and is building beautifully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I do enjoy tales of the Mirror Universe of Star Trek.. I've got one book about it on my TBR, filled with short stories. I'm glad you're loving The Unquiet Grave . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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